Suction-operated chuck



June 28, 1949. J, MI WYER 2,474,508

sUCTIoN-OPERATED CHUCK Filed Sept. 50, 1946 Patented June 28, 1949SUCTION-OPERATED CHUCK John M. Wyer, Perton, Pattinghain, nearWolverhampton, England Application September 30, 1946, Serial No.'700,221 In Great Britain October 3, 1945 4 Claims.

In a known method of holding articles which are rotated for someoperation to be performed on them, they are mounted on, or in, arotating chuck and held in position by suction induced in a suction pipeby a suction pump, a controlling valve or valves having been placed inthe pipe.

The suction in the chuck causes air to flowA thereinto because thearticle does not make a completely sealed. joint with the chuck; andthere has heretofore been the disadvantage that dust, or other matter,due to the operation or other cause, has been taken Vinto the chuck withthe entering air. As a consequence the dust has entered and accumulatedin the operating valves and suction pump and this necessitates frequentcleaning of the valves and pump.

The invention has for its object to provide means whereby thisdisadvantage is eliminated.

According to this invention a filter is provided in the chuck to arrestthe dust and retain it in the chuck and so prevent it from passing tothe suction pipe line.

Convenient embodiments of the invention are described with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in longitudinal section of one form of the chuck, thesection being taken on the line l, l, of Figure 2,. In this View thereis shown a hollow utensil in position on the chuck.

Figure 2 is a front end view of the chuck.

' Figure 3 is a rear end view of the chuck detached from its carrier.

Figure 4 is a View corresponding to Figure 1, but partly broken away andillustrating a modification.

Referring first to Figures 1, 2 and 3, A is the main body or shell ofthe chuck having a base or rear wall B and a cylindrical wall C. 'Ihebase B is spigoted to a rotatable carrier D which has an aXal passage Dthrough which suction is applied.

Integral with the base B is an arbor E of much less diameter than theinternal diameter of the Wall C so as to leave a wide annular space Fbetween the periphery of the arbor and the wall C. The outer end e ofthe arbor is of reduced diameter so as to leave a shoulder e.

Slanting ports b connect between the passage D and the annular space F.

G is a ring of metal gauze pressed to partspherical form and butted up,at its marginal portion, to the base B; and I-I is an annular metal dischaving relatively large flanged perorations h and having a deepl forwardflange h at its periphery which is an easy fit in the wall C. The innermarginal portion of the disc H lies against the shoulder e of the arborE. Placed against the rear face of the disc I-I is an annular piece ofgauze h2 and between the latter and the gauze G there is placed wirewool or like material J which acts as the filter.

K is an annular plate of plastic material surrounding and being asliding t on the forward end of the arbor E. Set in the forward face ofthe plate K are insets 1c of cork or other resilient material. A coilspring L surrounding the outer end of the arbor is placed between theplate K and the disc 1-1.

Formed across the outer end face of the arbor E is a groove e2 in whichis placed a bar M secured to the arbor by two screws m, m and the endsof the bar M extend radially outwards of the periphery of the arbor andenter recesses 1c k formed in the plate K. The ends of the bar Mare'stepped to form stops to limit the forward movement of the plate K.

A utensil such as N placed on the chuck should be a reasonably good itthereon so that, when suction is applied to the space F, the base of theutensil is strongly pressed by atmospheric pressure against the corkinsets lc of the plate K which yields back somewhat against the force ofthe spring L, affording a frictional drive between the cork insets andthe base of the utensil. The bar M forms a driving connection betweenthe plate K and the arbor E.

Air continuously enters the space F by passing between the wall of theutensil and the wall C of the chuck, and such air is liable to becontaminated by dust caused by the operation or otherwise; but such airpasses through the perforated plate I-I, gauze h2, steel wool J, gauze Gand passages b; and all the dust is filtered out therefrom by the steelwool J and is prevented from passing back with the air to the valve andpump.

The construction shown in Figure 4 is similar to that shown in theprevious figures; but the wall C is extended some distance forward ofthe end of the arbor E to adapt the chuck to receive a utensil Ninternally.

Having fully described my invention what I claim and desired to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A rotatable chuck in which articles are held in engagement therewithby suction comprising a casing in which suction is applied, an annularspace in said casing and an annular filter in said space and throughwhich the air stream caused by the suction is constrained to pass,

2. A rotatable chuck in which articles are held in engagement therewithby suction comprising a casing in which suction is applied, a base ofsaid casing, a cylindrical side Wall extending forwardly from said base,said side wall being open at its forward end, a centrally extendingarbor rigid with said base, an annular space between said arbor and saidwall, va suction-passage communication with said annular space, annuiarfilter in said space, an annular part surrounding the forward end ofsaid arbor and being slidabl'e thereon, elastic pressure meansagains'trt'heiforce of which said annular part can yield back, frictionmeans at the forward face of "bia/id -lainiilai' part with which thebase of the articleito be operated upon can be drivingly engaged, anddriving means between said arbor andfsaid annua lar part.

3. A rotatable chuck by which articles are'lieid in engagementtherewith'fby suction comprising a casing in which suction.isJapplied,faibasebfsaid casing, ka cylindrical sidefrwallfextendingforwardly fromfsaid fba"se,sai'd 'side wall vbeing openat fits forward end, a :centrally extending .'arbor frigid with saidbase, an :annular space between `said arbor 'and 4'said wall, -aisu'ctonpassage 1`infcom= munication with said 'annular space, fan annularfilter in said space, aniannnlaripart surrounding the Aforward V'end ofsaid arbor lan'df being f'slidable thereon, elastic ipressuretineaiisagainst .'thei-force of Vwhich said annular -part fc'an zyild ifback,'-friction means at the forward r-iac'e of v`saidannular partwithiwhich` the ba'seof fan airticleitobe operiated upon can bedrivingly-feng'aged, and driving means between `ysaid arbor `and 'saidannnlar part,

a groove formed across the front face of said arbor, a bar located insaid groove and having its ends projecting radially from the peripheryof said arbor and recesses in said annular part in which the ends ofsaid bar engage.

4. A rotatable chuck in which articles are held in engagement therewithby suction comprising acasing'infiwli'ih -suctioniispifie fa'fbase ofsaid oasng, Cylindrical side'wallieiterr'di'g forwardly Afrom said base,said side Wall being open at its `iorward end, a centrally extendingarbor rigid vwith Asaid lbase, an annular space between said arbor andsaid wall, a suction passage in com- 'm'uni'catnfiwith said annularspace, an annular ilterfin said-space, an annular part surroundingtheforward end ,ofthe said arbor and being slidrableithereonpelas'ticpressure means against the force of which said annular part can yieldback, ardf'iiiisets of resilient material set in the forward face of thesaid annular part, with which the base o'faanfarticlefto becdp'eratedupon:canbefd1ivingly engaged.

l`JOHN REEEBENGES Cla-ED

